Amazon to occupy massive warehouse on former Jaguar Land Rover site

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Huge warehouse for '1650 jobs' at ex-Jaguar site by Greenbelt set for approval



PLANS for a giant warehouse on the former Jaguar site are set to get the go-ahead from Coventry council planners, despite concerns about traffic, flooding and harm to the countryside.

The site is bounded to the south by open Greenbelt countryside which forms part of the Coundon Wedge.

Goodman Real Estate is seeking planning permission for a 40,000 square metre storage and distribution warehouse at the southern end of the former Jaguar Browns Lane site, where classic Jags once rolled off the production line.

Some small light manufacturing is being returned to the huge site, which has for a decade also been earmarked for employment use, including warehousing with housing.

Goodman’s full planning application is also for a huge staff 700-space car park and separate parking area for 127 lorries, and some offices.

The application is for 12.75 hectares of the site in total, at plots 1,2,3 and 4.

More than 100 objections from residents have already been lodged with the council.

Objections were also heard from some members of the public at a meeting with Bablake ward councillors last week.

Yet planning officers will on Thursday recommend councillors on the planning committee grant approval for the scheme.

Access to the site is from Coundon Wedge Drive with an access road to service the whole site, now called Lyons Park.

Developers would pay £50,000 towards the proposed flood risk management scheme in Allesley.

Planning officers say the scheme could create 1650 jobs and would not ‘adversely impact upon highway safety’ or ‘upon the amenity of neighbours’.

Their report to councillors also claims the application presents no flood risk at the site, which they say is on higher ground.

The River Sherbourne runs through the adjacent open countryside.

A planning application was refused in 2011 for a new storage and distribution warehouse with new access, when councillors prioritised higher skilled manufacturing and other employment use.

Keresley Parish Council has objected to the proposal on grounds of light pollution, noise pollution and traffic safety.

Councillor Jaswant Birdi (Conservative, Bablake) has also objected, stating the proposal would affect ‘many residents’ and ‘will affect their lives in terms of noise, flooding, traffic and size of buildings’.

Some residents also fear disturbance from diverted traffic through Coundon Green and Allesley Village.

Objections, according to the council officers’ report, include that: “The proposal is not viable without a major relief road between A45 and M6 and upgrading Holyhead Road/Allesley Old Road to dual carriageway.”

And: “The proposal will cause chaos on the Allesley Island, Birmingham Road, Holyhead Road and Allesley Old Road. All of which are at saturation point already at peak times.”

[dutchman]

Amazon to occupy massive warehouse on former Jaguar Land Rover site



Amazon will occupy a huge new warehouse set to be granted planning permission on the former Jaguar Land Rover factory site today, the Telegraph understands.

Speculation over who would be based at the warehouse, which will cover roughly the size of eight football pitches, has been rife ever since the plans were first revealed.

Although council bosses and Amazon remain tight-lipped, the Telegraph understands from sources that the online retailer is the intended end user for the site off Coundon Wedge Drive.

The plans, which would create an estimated 1,600 jobs, have prompted major opposition with more than 100 objections lodged over complaints including noise, congestion and light pollution.

Coventry council officers have recommended that the plans are approved and a final decision will be made during a public planning committee meeting at 2pm today. Protesters are expected to attend the meeting which the Telegraph will be covering live on its website.

Amazon has some of the worst working conditions in the country!

[rebbonk]

1600 jobs? I'll believe it when I see it

[dutchman]

Thay're not the kind of jobs anybody wants:

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Could new Amazon warehouse just 30 minutes away hit Coventry plans?

A massive Amazon warehouse due to open in Daventry will not affect plans for a base in Coventry, the Telegraph understands.

Coventry council granted planning permission for a warehouse the size of eight football pitches and the height of three double decker buses on the former Jaguar Land Rover site, at Browns Lane, last year. The Telegraph revealed in November that online retail giant Amazon was set to occupy the building, creating about 1,600 jobs.

But this week it was confirmed Amazon will open a huge warehouse in Daventry - just 30 minutes away. However, the Telegraph understands this will not impact on the firm’s Coventry plans, with the Daventry site set to focus on UK distribution, while the Coventry site will be a European hub.

Amazon has been approached for comment, but a spokesman for Amazon previously said the firm “doesn’t comment on speculation” and added that any announcements about developments would be made “in due course”.

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Amazon to recruit 800 staff for old Jaguar site in Coventry



Amazon has confirmed it is building a 24-hour distribution centre on a site equivalent to 18 football pitches.

Coventry City Council approved plans for the development on Jaguar's former Browns Lane site in November.

Amazon said it will start recruiting more than 800 full-time staff including engineers, IT specialists and warehouse operators later this year.

Councillor Jim O'Boyle said the firm was "working towards" the 1,600 jobs stated in its planning application.

Browns Lane was home to Jaguar car production until it moved to Castle Bromwich in 2005.

The Labour councillor, who is in charge of development in the city, said he was waiting for written confirmation from Amazon but was reassured "there will be plenty more jobs than 800", adding the firm had put in a planning application to extend the car park which is set to have places for 700 cars and 127 heavy goods vehicles.

Stefano Perego, Amazon's Director of UK Customer Fulfilment said: "The new site will be our first dedicated receive centre in the UK and we look forward to collect applications from people interested in receiving competitive pay and comprehensive benefits from day one, working at Amazon."

The council had received 106 letters of objection to the plans for the site, including over concerns about the environmental impact on the area and that the site was not being used for housing or for manufacturing.

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O'Boyle is off his rocker if he thinks there will be anywhere near 1600 workers there: 800 is optimistic!

[dutchman]

Amazon now says it WILL deliver 1,650 promised jobs after "cock up" over figures

Amazon has gone back on an initial statement to now claim it will deliver on a promise to hire 1,650 workers at the former Jaguar Land Rover, Browns Lane site.

The online retail giant repeatedly insisted this week that it was only looking to recruit 800 full time, permanent workers at the 40,000 sqm warehouse being built on Coundon Wedge Drive - doubling only for a few weeks each year during the busy Christmas period.

But today, after crunch talks between senior officials at the company and Coventry City Council yesterday, Amazon issued a fresh statement which read: “800 is first phase and we plan to reach the figures cited in the planning application in due course with future phases, as we normally open up and hire in phases.”

A senior councillor has put the discrepancy down to a “cock-up” from Amazon’s communications team. He added that a senior Amazon executive had written to the council’s acting chief executive Martin Yardley late last night to confirm its intention to deliver the 1,650 jobs it cited in its planning application for the site.

The plans received 150 objections when they were approved by the council’s planning committee in November last year.

Amazon’s claim this week that the firm was only aiming to recruit 800 staff led to anger from residents and councillors who opposed the development - with some claiming the firm had “hoodwinked” the council.

Asked to explain the mix-up, Cllr Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, said: “I think it’s more cock-up than conspiracy.

“The left hand didn’t know what the right hand was doing.

“They sought us out on four separate occasions to tell us the 1,650 figure, as well as the information in the planning application.

“They didn’t need to put a figure in the planning application.”

He added: “We had an email from a senior Amazon executive last night to confirm the numbers.”

Asked why he thought it took Amazon’s communications team so long to clarify the situation, he said: “I think they were trying to save face, but that’s not my concern.

“My concern is have Amazon lied? Not as far as I can see.

“Do I still believe their plans to maximise the use of the site and the employment numbers? Yes.”

On the phased approach to recruitment, he added: “The practicalities of taking a lot of people on in one go are very difficult.

“Recruitment, training, interviews - it takes a massive amount of man hours.

“I think it’s quite logical it would take some time.”

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I'll believe it when I see it.

[dutchman]

Courier robbed on the job told to pay for stolen parcels and van repairs by Amazon



A COURIER robbed while delivering parcels for Amazon was told the cost of the van repairs and stolen packages would be taken out of his wages.

Dad-of-one Martyn Gilham was accosted by a man dressed all in black while delivering a parcel for the online giant in Coventry on December 28.

The thief forced the 28-year-old to the floor and snatched the keys before jumping in the van and driving off with 62 parcels.

The van was later recovered by police who have held the vehicle while they carry out forensic checks.

A week after the robbery, Martyn received a text from his boss at Fast Despatch Transport Ltd in Leicester, an agency which provides Amazon with couriers.

He was told the agency was letting him go and the cost of the stolen van and packages would be deducted from his wages.

The boss wrote to Martyn: “Still waiting for police to release the van. About work, we will not use your service anymore.

“About your earning, we have to wait to see what will be the bill for the van and for the parcels inside and you receive the rest.”

Martyn, who lives in Northamptonshire, said: “It has left me in total shock. I feel like I was blamed for something that wasn’t my fault at all.

“I’m a victim of crime and yet I’m the one who’s getting blamed.”

This is just another example of the working conditions Amazon employees in Coventry can expect to have to endure.